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Lauren wanted to design her family’s new home before they moved in. The only problem? She couldn’t be in the space to design it. See how finding Modsy on Instagram helped her take on designing a new home, virtually.

Homeowner: Lauren T, Sales Manager

Location: Arlington, VA

Room: Open L-Shaped Entry, Living, and Dining Areas

Her Style: Refined Modern

LAUREN’S OPEN LIVING SPACE BEFORE

The Backstory

Designing a new home and wanting it furniture-ready by move-in

We’d just purchased a new family home, and I wanted to have a design plan before we moved in. I wanted us to be able to order furniture ahead of time so we could turn our new place into a bright and beautiful home right away.

The Design Dilemma

Not having access to their new home right away to make design decisions

We’d just purchased our new home but didn’t have access to it yet. Designing the space was a huge struggle as we couldn’t visualize how furniture would look. Not to mention we couldn’t keep going back in to measure and make sure everything would work (or fit!) the way we wanted. It was like we were designing a new home in the dark.

To top it all off, the new space isn’t very big so we needed it to feel open and bright. We wanted to tie the entry, living room, and dining area together while still making them feel like three distinct spaces.

The Modsy Moment

Scrolling for inspo on and finding a solution to her dilemma

I came across Modsy in an Instagram Ad and thought I should give it a try. It was very easy to get started.

LAUREN’S MODSY DESIGN #4

How Modsy’s Renderings Helped Lauren

Designing a new home before move-in day

In our first Modsy designs, the designers had come up with some interesting ideas we hadn’t thought of before. We ended up incorporating some of them into our final design.

The first design we got from Modsy gave us a lot direction for our project. We were able to incorporate some things that we already owned (like our sofa and dining table) to save money.

LAUREN’S MODSY DESIGN #1

We had planned to put a large hutch in our entryway, but the Modsy design gave us another idea.

The design plan inspired us to try a leather bench and hanging mirror with an open shelf on the adjacent wall. It made the entry seem more open and the furniture Modsy selected helped to tie the rooms together.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF LAUREN’S MODSY DESIGN

We created a few more Modsy designs (we had seven in total!) until we landed on one that was exactly what we wanted. Modsy’s renderings looked exactly like our space in real life. Seeing real furniture we could buy in our space made designing a new home so much easier.

LAUREN’S MODSY DESIGN #6

So far, we’ve purchased the bench, mirror, and some accent decor from our first design. We swapped out a few other items in our final design that we’ve also purchased.

It was amazing to see how using smaller and slimmer furniture with glass and mirrors helped to open up and brighten the space.

LAUREN’S MODSY DESIGN #7

In the end, the final design was our favorite and most reflects what the room is looking like!

Throughout the process we told so many friends about it that are buying houses, and we even showed our realtor how we were redesigning the space! Seeing how our new home could look, before we even moved in, has made the whole process so much easier.

See Lauren’s favorite design in 360!

Designing a new home? See it fully furnished before move-in day.

When Annika and her family moved into their first home, designing their unique living room was a major challenge. See how an online home design tool helped her find her inner designer.

Homeowner: Annika C, Recruiter

Location: Northern California

Room: A spacious central living room with unique features

Her Style: Modern Rustic

The Backstory

Leaving the city and starting fresh in their first real home.

My husband and I just purchased our first home. We were relocating from an apartment in Berkeley, CA, to a family house in a small town a little farther away.

We like our home to be tidy with minimal clutter (ie. we don’t like a lot of “things”). I wanted our new space to be warm, inviting, and family-friendly. We have an adjoining dining room and kitchen, so I wanted to create flow between those spaces.

ANNIKA’S LIVING ROOM BEFORE

The Design Dilemma

Figuring out baby-friendly furniture and a design plan with the help of online home design.

We have a 14 month old, so it was important to me that the space was child friendly. That meant avoiding side tables that she could push over and hard edges that she could bump into. I was super interested in ideas for extra storage so that we could take out or stash toys as needed.

As a busy mom who works full-time, I rely a lot on the internet for online purchases. Buying home decor online is always tricky because you never know exactly how it’s going to look in the space. Not to mention returns are a pain when the item is large. And although I love being in spaces that are stylish and inviting, I don’t have a flair for decorating.

When I set out to design our new living room, I wanted someone else’s help finding inspiration. But I didn’t want to stray so far that the style didn’t feel like me. I also wanted the freedom to swap out items in my designs if they weren’t quite right.

ANNIKA’S LIVING ROOM BEFORE

The Modsy Moment

When a friend found success designing her own space online, she was sold.

A friend of mine, who was closing on a home, told me how amazing Modsy was. She raved about how she was able to design her new living room from her computer. We’d just put the offer in on our house, and while I had some decorating ideas, the living room in particular had me stumped.

Making the transition from the apartment to our first home was definitely a process. With all that new space, I knew we’d need to buy many items to fill it up. I thought that Modsy would be a great way for me to play with different ideas so that I could see the final product before committing to any big purchases.

Once I started, I found it very easy to use. We wanted to keep our sofa, and I sent Modsy a link to the exact product which they incorporated into our designs.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGNS

How Modsy’s Renderings Helped Annika

Seeing the perfect layout and building on furnishings that match her style.

I was eager and anxious to see the designs! And it was surreal! It was our living room, but it was fully decorated and looked amazing.

From the two designs Modsy gave us, I loved Design #1 the most. The layout perfectly fit our needs and it gave me some great ideas for the space. I took the layout from the first design and made some tweaks when it came to the actual products.

ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGN #1

We kept our couch and decided to keep our coffee table as well. It’s a hand-made piece by my father and is really beautiful, so we decided we couldn’t part with it. I was able to include a similar coffee table in my Modsy designs. This helped me get a sense of how it would look in our living room with the new pieces I was trying.

I made some other edits to Design #1, including a darker carpet because I have a toddler. The original design was a great source of inspiration. It was the calm, uncluttered but still warm, and stylish look I wanted.

ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGN #2

Designing Around Unique Features

Finding solutions for her home’s unique features.

Our living room has a unique feature—a round window that is quite prominent. It was amazing to see how Modsy paired other round elements (i.e. a round coffee table, a round mirror) that really complimented the window. I was also able to see that certain chairs that I was eyeing didn’t fit our space at all.

ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGN #1

One item that I fell in love with in particular was a shelving unit that attached to the wall. It was in an area of the living room that had stumped me, and as soon as I saw it I knew it was a perfect fit for the space.

I also loved it because it’s super child-friendly for my toddler. She can’t pull the unit down from the wall, and I can store non-breakable items on the lower shelves. The more delicate items can go on the top, which means we don’t have to hide all our breakables away until she gets older.

ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGN #1

The wall directly across from our couch is quite large and that is where we have the TV. I didn’t know how much or how little to decorate, but the design that we received was perfect. It’s balanced and stylish without overwhelming the space.

ANNIKA’S MODSY DESIGN #2

It was so helpful to see how things fit in the space, size and style wise, without having to spend a lot of time measuring and trying to visualize how something “might” look.

Modsy was amazing and a really fun experience. It helped me find my “inner decorator” as I can experiment with my space and see what looks great and what doesn’t.

See Annika’s favorite design in 360!

Ready to try online home design for your space?

Hillary wasn’t sure how her design vision would look in real life – her husband wasn’t convinced either. See how they avoided huge fights with some help from Modsy.

Homeowner: Hillary S, Finance Professional

Location: Pennsylvania

Room: Huge Open Kitchen-Dining-Living Space

Her Style: Refined Industrial

The Backstory

Starting with a blank slate in a brand new home

I recently made the move with my family from Jersey City to a new house in Pennsylvania. Our new home was under construction, but I wanted to start planning for the space early. Ultimately, I wanted to feel clear and excited about the look of my space before I spent a dollar on furniture.

The Design Dilemma

She had a design vision, but what if it didn’t work in real life?

My biggest challenge was not knowing if my furniture combos would look as good in real life as they did in head. I find it challenging to stick to one style, so often they did not. More importantly, my husband is not the best visualizer so I struggle to explain my vision to him.

The Modsy Moment

Feeling skeptical, but deciding to take a chance

I first saw Modsy in a Facebook ad. I’m able to visualize pretty well, so I was not sure if Modsy would help me. I decided to give it a try and it was pretty easy to get started.

HILLARY’S MODSY DESIGN #2

How Her Modsy Designs Helped Hillary

Realizing her vision and knowing what works—for both her and her husband

The renderings were breathtaking for me; I loved both designs that Modsy came up with. It was like I was a contestant on an HGTV show seeing my new place for the first time and it was beautiful! Seeing the furniture in my space made a huge difference – especially since my home was under construction.

[When I saw my Modsy designs] it was like I was a contestant on an HGTV show seeing my new place for the first time and it was beautiful!

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF HILLARY’S MODSY DESIGNS

Modsy also helped me show my husband my ideas. Instead of exploding into huge fights I can show him my vision. Modsy was so helpful for improving our communication.

I was also in search of a particular feeling – comfortable yet edgy, interesting but functional. And Modsy nailed it!

HILLARY’S MODSY DESIGN #2

I loved elements in both of my Modsy designs and did some editing when I found things I wanted to try.

Design #2 expanded my thinking about what would work in the space and had more of the vibe I’d imagined. The round dining table was beautiful and unexpected. And the leather couch – so cool!

Instead of exploding into huge fights I can show him my vision. Modsy was so helpful for improving our communication.

HILLARY’S MODSY DESIGN #1

Design #1 was closest to what I had in mind from the beginning – very comfortable and very functional. The way Modsy arranged the sectional in this first design showed me I could use the room as one big gathering space rather than two separate areas. I also loved the wine rack and the placement of the TV.

With Design #1 I was able to see how the furniture in my mind would actually look in my space. I realized some of the pieces I was eyeing were actually quite large, so I found alternatives that better fit the space.

HILLARY’S MODSY DESIGN #1

The decorations in both designs gave me some great new ideas. I combined ideas from the designs I created with some from my original Modsy designs.

The best part for me was being able to play around and try things. I saw how all these pieces would look in my home without having to buy (and likely return) a single thing. My husband also appreciated this. We’ve bought some furniture and there are a few pieces I’m eyeing but haven’t pulled the trigger on yet.

See Hillary’s favorite design in 360!

Need help bringing your design vision to life?

This newlywed couple didn’t know where to begin with their awkward living room. Here’s how they found a plan they could both agree on.

Homeowner: Ashley S, Computer Technician

Location: Waco, TX

Room: Awkward Living Room

Her Style: Modern Rustic

The Backstory

When a couple’s new awkward living room just didn’t work for either of them

My husband and I had just moved from Houston into our new home in Waco, Texas. He is a native Texan, and I’m from Miami – two very different places that sort of reflect our two very distinct styles! And while we both agree that we like a rustic style, my version of rustic is a bit less traditional. I tend to be drawn towards more clean lines and symmetry than you might typically associate with a “rustic” style.

When we moved in, I had every intention of repainting the grey walls in the living room (which I was not looking forward to!) only to find out my husband loved the color. To me, the dark grey paired with the espresso floors made the room feel heavy. In an effort to compromise, I began searching for ways to brighten and warm up the space, while keeping the original wall color.

When it came to the layout for our space, we both agreed that we wanted a natural flow from the front door into the living area, and onto the adjoining rooms. I did not want to block the fireplace in our living room, but we have a return grate for our A/C on the opposite wall that would have to work very hard if it was covered.

Ashley’s Living Room Before

The Design Dilemma

Limited layout options, a wall color she wasn’t sold on, and furniture they couldn’t agree on

We felt extremely limited in how we could set up our new living room. We tried couches on opposite walls but the front door has a large glass window that lets people see right in… But placing a couch on a perpendicular wall meant covering the A/C return or blocking the fireplace, which I wanted to keep as a focal point.

To make our layout struggles more complex, none of the walls in the room are the same length and they each have various attributes that make designing difficult (like French doors to the back yard or a small recessed area). It was just a huge challenge trying to figure out how to arrange our furniture.

“It was just a huge challenge trying to figure out how to arrange our furniture.”

My husband and I had run out of ideas on how to arrange our living room, and I was skeptical about all that grey… But, since he liked the color I really wanted to keep it. I just could not imagine how to incorporate it into a design that worked for both of us.

Ultimately we wanted a space that reflected both of our styles. And I wanted a design that would make me fall in love with our grey walls.

Ashley’s Living Room Before

The Modsy Moment

Finding inspiration (and a solution) from a favorite blogger

I first heard about Modsy through Kate Bryan of The Small Things blog. She was having a hard time designing an awkwardly shaped office and that was exactly how I felt about my living room.

We got started with Modsy almost immediately. It was so simple to use – I did most of it on my phone.

Since our living room has a bit of an odd shape, I actually ignored the recessed corner next to the fireplace when measuring the room. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Modsy had factored in that space into my designs anyway!

Ashley’s Modsy design #2

How Modsy’s Renderings Helped Ashley:

Solving all three challenges in one design plan

Being a computer technician, I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of Modsy’s 3D renderings. I noticed they included so many fine details, like our wall color, location of outlets and switches, and the recessed area I had originally left out!

Bird’s eye view of Ashley’s designs

Our first Modsy design plan had a very interesting layout and we initially wanted to arrange our space this way. We liked how it put the space to use and it seemed to be a good arrangement for entertaining. We also had not considered getting rid of one of our bigger couches in favor of two accent armchairs. That was a new idea Modsy gave us.

Ashley’s Modsy design #1

We liked the furniture arrangement in this design. Modsy’s idea to put a valet table along the back wall was also great, since our entryway is small and unable to accommodate one. It felt like Modsy was able to create two rooms in one.

Ashley’s Modsy design #2

We ended up going with Modsy’s second design plan since it made the room feel more open. I liked the abundance of light-colored accents Modsy chose, which really helped offset the dark walls and floors. The soft-colored rug made the room feel so open and light – it really balanced out all the dark colors.

Ashley’s Modsy design #2

My husband and I both loved the industrial and natural elements of the bookshelf and the coffee table. The bookshelf became the piece we were most excited about adding to the room. We are both avid readers but we never thought of showcasing that since we didn’t feel like there was enough space.

Ashley’s Modsy design #2

I loved how open and warm all of our design plans looked, and how Modsy really was able to blend our styles and design wants together. It was such a relief, after taking the style quiz and then seeing the renderings to finally having both of us agree on a layout and design. As newlyweds, it was great to have help creating a look that expressed both our styles but still felt cohesive.

As newlyweds, it was great to have help creating a look that expressed both our styles but still felt cohesive.

Our plan is to replicate the second design as closely as we can. We’ve already added the rug to our home! Soon we’ll be adding the coffee table and bookshelf, which we actually are planning on building ourselves.

Need a help designing a challenging space?

Avesh was no stranger to 3D technology and knew there had to be a way it could make designing his son’s first big kid room easy and fun.

Homeowner: Avesh, software developer and tech-savvy dad of two

Location: Princeton, NJ

Room: 3 year-old’s bedroom

His Style: Mod Visionary

The Backstory

Transforming a nursery into a big kid room

This year, our 3 year-old son was ready move into a room of his own. My wife and I were eager to use this opportunity to redo his space. Our plan was to ditch the old nursery furniture we’d used for our two kids, and start fresh!

We knew we wanted the space to be bright, modern, and fun. We envisioned splashes of color and a stylish chair for reading bedtime stories.

My son is really into cars right now. So, while we also wanted to incorporate that into the space, we wanted to do it in a creative and subtle way. Something he wouldn’t grow out of in a few years.

Avesh’s Room Before

The Design Dilemma

Visualizing the results without wasting time

As a software developer, I’ve worked with 3D tools before, so I know how they can make designing a space from scratch easier.

I’ve previously tried creating some 3D renderings of my own for a previous home improvement project. I ended up spending all my nights gathering ideas,working on the designs, or searching for products.

The process was so time-consuming and things always just seemed to look “off…”

For my son’s room we decided to try an interior designer. Unfortunately, the designers in our area were more experienced with a traditional style, and none could create the type of visualizations I was looking for. I remember wishing there was an online service with experienced professionals that could help.

“None of the interior designers in our area could create the type of visualizations I was looking for… I remember wishing there was an online service that could help.”

Avesh’s Modsy design #1

The Modsy Moment

Letting technology do the heavy lifting

When I learned about Modsy through TechCrunch, I immediately thought they read my mind. My wife and I had started gathering ideas for our son’s bedroom on Houzz and Pinterest, but when we saw the stunning Modsy renders we knew this would be the perfect time to try the service!

Avesh’s Modsy design #1

At first, I wasn’t sure if our renderings would look as great as the marketing material… it seemed too good to be true, especially at the price! I was also not sure if they would have kid-friendly furniture options available. We were pleasantly surprised!

When we got our renderings back I was blown away by the quality. The lighting, textures, materials, and layout looked fantastic. There were also many ideas in the designs that hadn’t occurred to us before.

360 spin through Avesh’s Modsy design #1

Avesh’s Modsy design #2

What Modsy’s Renderings Showed Avesh:

The Modsy renderings helped us completely visualize what the room would look like with a twin compared to a full size bed. This was one of the decisions we were going back and forth on, and seeing the two options made the decision easy.

Our first Modsy design showed us how the space would look with a twin bed. We loved this layout, which we hadn’t originally thought of, because it would give the boys room to play and be silly before going to bed.

Bird’s eye view of Avesh’s Modsy designs

Modsy suggested a dresser with shelves above for books and other items. The kids don’t need a dresser with a mirror right now, so this was a nice use of that space, which again we hadn’t thought of before. We also liked the idea of the pouf next to the reading chair, because we could use it both for seating and as a place to set books for storytime.

We plan to buy a few of the pieces Modsy showed us, but we’ll most importantly use the layout they suggested. Turns out we already own the little red car they included for us in our design!

360 spin through Avesh’s Modsy design #2

We just wanted a modern space that would delight our son, express his personality, and that we could enjoy at night when putting him to bed, without spending night after night designing it ourselves.

The fact that these renderings are so photo-realistic made it much easier to make purchase decisions and give us the confidence that we’re all going to be happy with the selections.

Need a little design help? Try a Modsy rendering for yourself!

Like Erin Canova, we often talk ourselves out of ideas for our spaces—until we realize we had it right the whole time.

Homeowner: Erin Canova, mom extraordinaire

Location: Sacramento, CA

Room: A tall-ceilinged den and TV room

Her Style: Contemporary Minimalist

The Backstory

Balancing a new home’s great bones with not too much decor

In our new home, we are blessed with all these incredible rooms. We have very tall ceilings, which was one of the hardest things for me to try and design around. I just had no clue how to compensate for that with the decor.

That said, I did not want to have too much decor in the space that I would have to dust or tidy up on a regular basis. I want a minimal home that feels welcoming and homey, but also functional and that enhances our daily lives rather than creating more roadblocks.

The Design Dilemma

Knowing what she loves but not what blends together in an empty room

My biggest challenge was room cohesion—if that’s even a term. I can pick separate pieces of furniture that I like, but picking the right items that all blend well together is next to impossible for me. I started with this den and TV room because I hadn’t purchased any new furniture for it yet. It was essentially a clean slate.

The Modsy Moment

Taking a risk that cost far less than hiring an interior designer

I first saw Modsy in a blog post, and I figured even if it was a total bust, $70 was such a reasonable price compared to what I was considering with an interior designer, which costs much much more.

Getting started was so incredibly simple that I was kind of blown away at how easy it was. I didn’t even have to clean up my space before hand!

How Modsy’s Renderings Helped Erin

She thought her idea wouldn’t work; but seeing furniture in the space reassured her it would

I was through the roof with excitement when I first saw my Modsy renderings. It was so amazing to finally see the room transform into EXACTLY what I had envisioned. It’s currently covered in random kids toys, and I just had no idea where to start; now I know exactly what to do, how to lay out the space and what items to buy.

I was especially excited with the second Modsy layout design I was provided because I had actually thought about purchasing a sectional and placing it the same way but convinced myself it wouldn’t work and that the space would be too tight. Seeing it in the rendering showed me that with just the right size sectional I actually could divide the larger space into two zones to get the most use out of the room.

Modsy Design 1

Modsy Design 1

Modsy Design 1

Modsy Design 2

Modsy Design 2

Modsy Design 2

Modsy took an issue I had been stressing over for months and not only solved the issue but got me excited about tackling it going forward! I’ve felt bad about continuously changing things but my Modsy advisors assured me that it’s not a problem.

I’m still working on changing the renderings (I’m on my sixth design) to get the room just right. But I plan on buying most, if not all, the pieces detailed in the design. I also love that many of the items placed in my renderings are incredibly affordable and I can find them at my ultimate favorite retailer, Target!